Jessica Groom
July 2023
Jessica
Groom
,
RN
Surgical Nursing Administration
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore
,
MD
United States
Jess is always asking not just how the chemo is going but how I am doing both mentally and physically. She listens with open ears and takes the time to provide emotional support when she sees I need it.
Jess has been a beacon of hope, compassion, and kindness for me throughout my time spent under her care. She is a ray of sunshine and positivity every time she walks in the room, and she never carries any negative energy with her.
I was first introduced to her during a hospital stay in January 2023, after I had an ileostomy placed, and she came to teach me the ins and outs of ileostomies, the bag options, etc. She was a great, enthusiastic teacher and made what felt like an extremely daunting thing seem a lot more manageable.
Unfortunately, about two months later, I developed a wound around my stoma that my home care nurse felt was beyond her skill set, and Jess agreed to see me in the clinic twice weekly for wound care and bag changes. Fast forward another few months now, and I am still coming into clinic twice weekly for wound care and bag changes, and there is no one else I would rather see for this.
Throughout this time, I have been on multiple different chemotherapies for my T-cell lymphoma, and Jess is always asking not just how the chemo is going but how I am doing both mentally and physically. She listens with open ears and takes the time to provide emotional support when she sees I need it.
My peri-stoma wound has been quite persnickety at times, and Jess has even coordinated appointments with my dermatologist so that everyone can be in the room at the same time, laying eyes on the wound, and coming up with a solid plan. She has also met me at my chemo appointments to do my wound care there so I can kill two birds with one stone and not have to go all the way over to clinic after my chemo appointments.
To me, this all shows how Jess goes above and beyond for her patients and how meaningful the care she provides is. Not only do I see an exceptional nurse in Jess, but I’ve come to see a great friend in her, too. I look forward to my wound care appointments because I know I will be greeted with a beaming smile and positivity.
Fighting cancer is not an easy task, but more often than not, it is her kindness and positivity that help to turn my day around. I just wish every patient could have a Jess in their life!
I was first introduced to her during a hospital stay in January 2023, after I had an ileostomy placed, and she came to teach me the ins and outs of ileostomies, the bag options, etc. She was a great, enthusiastic teacher and made what felt like an extremely daunting thing seem a lot more manageable.
Unfortunately, about two months later, I developed a wound around my stoma that my home care nurse felt was beyond her skill set, and Jess agreed to see me in the clinic twice weekly for wound care and bag changes. Fast forward another few months now, and I am still coming into clinic twice weekly for wound care and bag changes, and there is no one else I would rather see for this.
Throughout this time, I have been on multiple different chemotherapies for my T-cell lymphoma, and Jess is always asking not just how the chemo is going but how I am doing both mentally and physically. She listens with open ears and takes the time to provide emotional support when she sees I need it.
My peri-stoma wound has been quite persnickety at times, and Jess has even coordinated appointments with my dermatologist so that everyone can be in the room at the same time, laying eyes on the wound, and coming up with a solid plan. She has also met me at my chemo appointments to do my wound care there so I can kill two birds with one stone and not have to go all the way over to clinic after my chemo appointments.
To me, this all shows how Jess goes above and beyond for her patients and how meaningful the care she provides is. Not only do I see an exceptional nurse in Jess, but I’ve come to see a great friend in her, too. I look forward to my wound care appointments because I know I will be greeted with a beaming smile and positivity.
Fighting cancer is not an easy task, but more often than not, it is her kindness and positivity that help to turn my day around. I just wish every patient could have a Jess in their life!